Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-02
THE PATTI MATTER.
The opera House Side-Mf. ChAios
Exoneratea.

ExoueratAa.
The citizens of Los Angeles have an
opportunity of hearing, At an elevated
price, the "Queen Of Song" Adelina
Patti. Her manager, or advance agent,
Mr.. Mayer. came to this city to make
arrangements whereby the Incompatible
vocalist could honor our people by let.
ting them listen to her. There was
some difficulty about securing the Grand
Opera House for the date of her appear
ance, and Mr.. o. w. Childs, the owner
of the Opera House, has been somewhat
severely criticised by the press and
public of this city for his action in de-
manding much larger rent for the
Opera House for the Patti night than is
charged other troupes which visit this
city. The HERALD is eminently just,
and wishes to give both sides of every
question of public interest. The side Of
Mr.. Mayer has been published with em.
bellishments. and yesterday reporter
OF this paper put himself to some
trouble to get at the Opera House side
of the matter.
The result of his investigation b as
| follows: Mayer, the agent OF Patti,
went to Mr.. Childs aud asked him what
the rental price of the house was, say.
| ing that they were thinking of bringing
Patti here some night between the l7th
and I'D of January. Mr.. Childs said
that the price was 500 per night and OK.
penses, such as gas, ETC., when rented to
local companies, but referred Mr.. Mayer
to Mr.. Jones, his secretary. Mr.. Jones
said that the date of the 18th was en-
gagged to the Band of Hope of this city
and the remainder of the week to the
Vessels. .Rossback Dramatic Company,
He thought possibly that the Band Of
Hope could be induced by . small mon
etAry consideration to postpone theil
entertainment and give Patti the nigh
of the 18th. Mayer said he didnt
know that the Diva could reach here OF
that night. Mr.. Jones then said
that he would play the troup'
any night in the week for 1
percentage. MAYER declined this ant
asked what rent he would charge fo
one night. Mr.. Jones said $500 and ex
penses. Mayer said he would not pay it
and Jones withdrew the offer. Mr.
Childs and MIR. Jones both deny posi-
lively that Mayer engaged the oper,
house. He merely inquired the pric'
and fixed no date. It may be remarked
here that the opera house has neve
been rented to travelling troupe or
foreign attraction, they are alway
played either by the managers here o
ON percentage. When local compan.
of amateurs rent the opera house the
pay 500 per night for it. Now tn
matter resolves itself into this; had MI
. Childs let any night of the week excep
the l7th TO PATHS agent, the followin
loss would have been entailed, $45C
the rental agreed upon wit
the Vessels management, $50
t which would have had to be paid to tn
Vessels troupe, to get it to cancel th
engagement. The Opera House woul
have remained vacant the whole wee
with the exception of the Patti night
. By breaking the Wessell's engagement
and playing Patti on q percentage {
fifteen cents, Mr.. Childs might hav
recouped himself for the sum, at whic
the Opera House had been rented fc
. that week. Everybody connected wit
the Opera House is more than anxiou
to have Patti sing here, but they COZ
: slider it little above the limit to a.
them to sacrifice nearly $3.50 to attai
this object. Mr.. Wyatt, who had th
Opera House engaged for tn Weessel
troupe showed the reporter the corre'
+ pondsnce with that company, whic
proved conclusively that Vessels wa
q anxious to fill his engagement down her
and did not want to cancel his dats
Under the circumstances it is hard to Sc
how Mr.. Childs could have given Patti
date in the week desired without entail
] ing serious loss on himself: Sometime
people are prone to be censorious with
out reading both sides of question.
is to be hoped that Patti will come t
Los Angeles and give the music-lovir
world treat, but according to tn
above statement the owner of the Gran
Opera House should be absolved from 81
, blame in the matter of the Diva's failur
/ to sing in the most beauti tiful opera nous
in California.